Ashes and Ghost
by Sam Bam
Summary: Upon hearing of an ancient, very potent medicine, Rotti Largo sends Nathan to the old town of Silent Hill to retrieve it-by any means necessary. What the Repoman doesn't expect is the hell he is put through. Discontinued, maybe to be rewritten.
1. Holy Prayer

AN: All right, before you read, please look at this. It'll explain a few things for the timeline/characterization that might seem off.  
The timeframe is 2049. Nathan would be 36, and Shilo is 10 years old. I am taking liberties (just a few) with Nathan's personality due to him being younger and his more violent personality not being solidified quite yet.  
James Sunderland will be making appearances as well, but I can promise you I have a totally logical explanation. I am using the 'Rebirth' ending for this specific story. Due to the timeframe, however, his personality may have been a bit warped after spending so much time in Silent Hill. Except some out of character traits, please.

I want to thank my friends Harry, Cybbie, James, Wolf, Ami, and anyone else I forgot (so sorry!) for helping me (now and in the future) with this project of mine. I'm taking it quite seriously and am always looking for people to beta, so please let me know if you're interested!  
Silent Hill and all characters/locations are copyrighted by Konami.  
REPO! The Genetic Opera and all characters/locations are copyrighted by Terrance Zdunich, Darren Smith, and Lionsgate.

Enjoy!

* * *

There was a lone figure standing at the head of the chapel of The Order, silently looking down at her work. Her life's work. The sight of it slowly deteriorating before her very own eyes made this unexplainable pain go through her heart, much like a stake through a sacrifice. The rows upon rows of benches were growing more old and worn every day. The carpet leading down the middle of the two rows was faded, old, and tattered.  
She had always made sure that their place of worship was in prime condition, always cleaning, always preparing, just in case the God decided to bring them their Paradise. It was always crucial to their work to have the one safe haven be free of the monsters and corrupted from the outside ... more and more were getting in year by year, and by now, her Order had to learn how to defend themselves from the terrors of the outside.  
Why, oh why were they slacking?!  
Chaos. There was more chaos, and less order. There needed to be more order ... where was their God in their time of need?!

She adjusted the white veil to cover the bangs of her short black hair, and turned her back to the view of the dreary mist. Slowly, her bare feet began the ascent towards the front door. With every step against the cold marble, she brushed the trail of her black dress away from her feet to avoid tripping over herself.  
Her efforts, however, failed her as she was just slightly too careless near the end of the staircase. She stumbled, and began to fall. She would have hit the floor had it not been for a sudden appearance by a man nearby. Arabella's blue eyes glanced up at her savior, and a small smile crossed her lips as she steadied herself.

"You are as valiant as ever, Joseph."  
She pulled her fragile figure away from the younger man and looked away, staring up sadly at the stained glass windows. Once, they had been glittering. Once, they had been beautiful. Now, they were dulled by the constant ash falling from the outside. No more could she call them pieces of art. They were damned, like the monsters outside. Yes, damned. That's what they were. They were tainted.

"Have you eaten yet?" A gruff voice snapped her out of her train of thought, and she shook her head.

"There is no time to eat when I could be getting closer to God. I will later," Arabella replied in a snippy tone. She sent a glare towards her confidant, and then looked back up. "Now, there is always a reason as to why one enters the sacred chambers of the Priestess. Explain why you came."

"We found another part of the seal."  
Arabella's interest peaked, and now her attention was focused. Slowly, she turned, a look of excitement on her features. Did he mean ...?

"The Halo of the Sun. The seal."

"The Seal that promotes rebirth ..." The priestess echoed softly. "The one that can bring the God back to life ... to bring us Paradise."  
It was a sign. Her prayers have been answered; her God heard her! Arabella threw up her arms to the heavens, and profusely thanked the deity for Their blessing.

"That is two of the eight. Six pieces remain ... see for yourself ..."  
Joseph pulled out the piece from his simple black robe as Arabella drew near, taking it from his hands and caressing it like a mother would their child. There was a certain air about it; a certain care.  
She noted the cracks on the rusted metal, symbolizing that there was more to be found. She noted the eye staring back up at her, with ancient symbols surrounding the left and right in a simple, red-lined barrier.

It must be a circle ...

"There ... is a problem," Joseph continued warily, entangling one hand in his messy brown hair. Arabella looked up from the precious Seal, and her excitement faded to confusion. There should be no problem. After seven long years of searching, they finally found the second piece of the puzzle to Paradise. They had found the physical form of their holy symbol!  
What problem could there be ...?

"No one wishes to search anymore, due to the monsters outside. They are too frightened to carry out their work."  
At this, the priestess felt her blood boil. Her fists began to shake, and she began to pace violently on the carpet, her feet digging into the texture. Those thrice-damned fools! All of them!

"Get them outside, then! There is no more time to waste. We are getting closer and closer to our goal ..." There was a sigh, and Arabella took a deep breath to calm herself.  
Why were they not as devout as they claimed? The reward would not be given if they did not work for it ... no ... The smile crossed her face again, and she bowed slightly towards Joseph, still holding the Seal tightly.

"You have my highest thanks and my blessing, Joseph. Not once have you disappointed me. Please, carry on your work."  
There was a nod, and Joseph bowed before turning his back on Arabella and walking out of the sacred chambers. The wooden door opened, and shut with a loud _clang_.

The priestess walked back up the staircase silently, placing the Seal piece on the altar. She bowed her head, and closed her eyes.

"I know that we must complete this Seal for Your revival, my God ... I will summon help.  
I will summon someone with no fear. You will be alive again ... and hopefully, You will bring us to Paradise ..."

Arabella threw her arms out, and the prayer began.


	2. Overseas Assignment

AN: Heh, lag. Sorry, guys. School got me busy for a while.  
Anyways, copyright stuff goes here (you can find the full disclaimer at the first chapter), so enjoy.

* * *

He stared at the communicator in disbelief.  
It was the afternoon (if one could call it the afternoon). While the moon was still shining, yes, it was five o' clock. Rotti knew that this was time for Shilo's medicine, so why did he want him at the GeneCo building _now_?

The man rubbed the back of his neck, and a small frown appeared on his features. He felt a sudden heat in the room, like the air was constricting him. The brown robe seemed to cling to him, choking him. Was this how he was meant to feel every time Rotti's face appeared as a hologram?

Nathan Wallace sighed and cut off the connection. Then, blue eyes dared to look down at his beloved daughter, Shilo. She was sitting up, her wide brown eyes betraying her confusion. The father forced a smile on his face, and rose.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" the ten-year-old asked. Nathan shook his head and put the medicine in the cup of water, carefully handing it to Shilo. The false, yet reassuring smile was still on his face.

"Nothing's wrong, Shilo," he began, brushing back strands of his daughter's hair as he spoke. It was Marni's hair. He knew that much. It was his beloved wife's hair, and every time he touched it, he felt a strong amount of pain. Yet ... he couldn't show it. He couldn't show his weakness in front of his daughter. "I'm just going to see what Rotti wants ..."  
This answer seemed to satisfy Shilo, as she beamed and nodded once. Reassured, Nathan rose from the bed side and walked away from the bed, making sure the plastic curtains were in the correct position before heading down the stairs and to the front door.

There was that hallway. Picture frames covered the left and right walls, but there was one picture at the end of the hall that carried a certain tone to it—a tone of dread. Every time Nathan stared at the body behind the wall, a shudder went through his spine. The black dress, the hat holding a veil over her eyes ... it looked like she was alive.  
He tried to ignore Marni as he turned to the left, down to the staircase. He couldn't think about that right now. He couldn't think about that night...

Nathan exited through the front door, and was sure to lock it tightly. The clunk of the metal made him smile somewhat. Now, Shilo was protected. There was no way anyone could get to her.  
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a lone GENcop. He (or she?) seemed to be patrolling the area diligently, watching for any sign of danger. Their black uniform seemed to blend into the dark, and it was only because of Nathan's improved senses that he could even tell he was there.

Nonetheless, Nathan gave a curt nod, and began his walk down the street. He didn't see the GENcop return the nod.

* * *

The elevator door slowly slid open, showing Nathan the hell that he had grown accustomed to. The carpet sank down, seemed to wilt, as he strode forward in a tired manner. A near-collision with furniture persuaded him to open his eyes all the way and put more vigor in his step. Within moments, he was standing before his boss, in front of the mahogany desk.

Rotti Largo had not aged well thus far. He was only in his fifties, yes, but that changed nothing. His hair was already gray, and his face was starting to sag. Regardless, his eyes gave that same piercing expression. That look could intimidate even the fiercest of Repomen, or it could charm an entire city. This made Nathan detest Rotti; he was so two-faced, and yet no one questioned it.  
The elder man took his wooden cane off of his desk and rose slowly, offering a false smile for Nathan to see. Nathan said nothing.

"Thank you for coming."

"What did you need to see me for?" Nathan asked. The frown was still set on his face, but he did his best to hide it. Rotti cleared his throat and then stood straight. The smile only grew wider, and this made him nervous. "I have to get back to Shilo ... she needs her medicine."  
A piercing glare silenced him, but after a few seconds, Rotti resumed.

"I have your new assignment. It's overseas."

"Overseas?!"

"Let me finish, Nathan!"There was a heavy silence in the air. The two men glared at one another, but eventually, Nathan backed down with a resentful sigh. Rotti would win. He always won. When his reputation and his daughter's safety were dangled on a string, he had no chance of winning a bout that he might have started.  
Quickly, he realized that Rotti had resumed talking. He snapped himself out of his own thoughts, and then began listening.

"... A very potent medicine. It can only be found in the town of Silent Hill. I've heard of ... dangers ... in the town, so considering your experience, you will be sent." Rotti leaned over behind his desk, and then activated the giant screen behind him, the width and height spanning of nine televisions. The sudden bright blue light made Nathan squint, but when he could see, he noticed a small, seemingly brown glass bottle on the screen. There appeared to be a liquid inside—possibly red?  
He struggled to read the name.

"Aglaophotis?" It sounded foreign and strange on Nathan's tongue. He had never heard of anything like this, even as a doctor. Silently, he racked his memories in an attempt to remember if he had used anything of the sort. Rotti waited patiently for a moment, and when Nathan finally shook his head, he began speaking again.  
Sometimes, Nathan thought that Rotti just liked to hear himself talk. That bastard ...

"It apparently is a medicine used by the ancient Greeks, and you know how skilled they were with medical issues. I have heard that this exorcises 'demons' ..." Rotti laughed hoarsely, but Nathan didn't flinch.

"... and if that turns out to be true, GeneCo will have a new demographic of customers! No, what we must do is get a sample and see its true potential."

"You said there were dangers in the town." Nathan had cut in sharply, now looking a bit worried. He was going to be sent to a town for something that might not even work? What was Rotti thinking? The Repoman was glaring daggers at his boss—but the glasses managed to hide that quite well. Rotti didn't even notice.

"Apparently, it was a place for odd occurrences. At least four people have vanished while they were in the town, though the causes remain unknown," Rotti explained. "I trust you to get the medicine and come right back."

"... Of course." A smirk crossed the king's face, and he tapped his cane once on the ground in satisfaction. Nathan already regretted his decision. Then again, did he ever have one? "Will Shilo be—"

"She will be taken care of! Now, there's a helicopter waiting outside for you, on the roof. Get going! I expect you to return in ten days!"  
Te—Ten—Days--!? Nathan stood in shock for a moment, turned, and swiftly walked out of the room. He heard Rotti's laughter echo behind him.


	3. Grave Warning

It had only been three hours. It wasn't enough to calm himself down about Shilo. It wasn't enough time to come to terms with what he was supposed to do. Yet, here he was, being told to get dressed and prepare for work. It made him think back; it made him think of when he suddenly had to go out and help a patient due to a severe case of one thing, or another. Being dragged out of his home and his livelihood.  
The only difference now is that his wasn't going to help anyone. It was a hopeless cause, and he was being sent for it. Why did it make so much sense?

The Repoman dared to look out the front windshield. All he could see below was a thick coating of mist, obscuring odd, gray rocks. There was a stone fence surrounding the area, and when the pilot began to direct the flying helicopter to the outside of the gate, Nathan only assumed that he had to go through this depressing scene to reach the town of Silent Hill.

"We're coming back in ten days, Mr. Wallace. If you need us sooner, just give us a call, all right?" The pilot gestured to the communicator, and Nathan gazed at it absentmindedly, giving a half-hearted nod.

"Yes, of course." The pilot smiled and saluted Nathan, then looked back ahead. There was an awkward silence as the dog rose and set his seatbelt to unhook. In truth, he didn't want to leave. He wasn't the kind to be afraid of a certain job, nor was he the kind to cower. He never had a choice on that matter, but after taking one more glance outside, Nathan was already getting nervous.  
He had to spend more than a week here, in a place like this?  
Though, hope for a sudden change of plans dwindled as he stepped out of the helicopter, and they all but faded as his ride lifted into the air and ascended into the sky, far away from him.

Nathan looked down at his helmet silently, and placed it on his head slowly. The blue glow emitting from the helmet instantly made it easier to see through the thick cloud of mist, and Nathan felt somewhat reassured. He began the walk to the open path towards the ... graveyard.  
This place was a graveyard? He boggled for a total of five seconds before striding into the path.  
There were only a few gravestones. This must not be a very popular place to bury the dead ... in fact, he was sure Marni wouldn't like it. A shudder went through his spine at the mere thought, but he pressed onwards to the heart of the depressing scene.

One larger grave caught his eye. For curiosity's sake, he had to look. The crunch of the dead leaves rang on deaf ears as he strode closer, and then kneeled in front of the resting place. A stone angel rested on top, hands folded in prayer. What Nathan noticed was a broken wing; two seconds later, he found a lone wing lying on the ground. He picked it up, examined it, and put it on top of the gravestone.

"... Are you ... visiting family?"

A sudden voice made him jump into a standing position. The shining scalpel, his one weapon, was drawn as he turned around to face a man not much older than him. At least, that was his first impression. He had aged, most definitely; the man had dirty blonde hair, and it seemed to be sagging down over his face. His clothes were absolutely tattered; a green military jacket, a white shirt underneath, and jeans ...  
He looked like an average man. Instantly, Nathan felt a bit out of place with his all-leather work uniform, and the helmet covering his head. The stranger drew closer, and leaned down to read the gravestone.

"A ... Natalie Wallace?"

Nathan jerked and turned, not believing his ears. That gravestone was a Wallace? Is that why he was drawn to it? He shook his head, and stammered out an answer;

"N-No. I don't have any family from here." It had to be an odd coincidence. That wasn't his mother's name, nor did any living family members share that name. It must be a coincidence ... Awkwardly, he glanced around the graveyard as the other man rose and turned to look at Nathan.  
The Repoman tried to ignore what was happening, and was attempting to refocus on his job. He had to get to that odd town and get the medicine he needed. He had no time to chat to strangers.  
One fact burned through his brain, and made him sigh; he had no clue how to get there from here. Rotti had apparently forgotten to give him directions. Maybe that was on purpose. Either way, it was convenient that there was another person here.

"Excuse me." The man perked. "Do you know how to get to Silent Hill?"  
The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, and Nathan regretted asking. The stranger in front of him seemed to grow grim, and his neutral look suddenly grew cold.

"... I don't think you want to go there," he began in a dark tone. "It's not exactly a resort town. Well, not anymore, at least."  
Nathan could assume that much from all the mist. It was so dreary; how could anyone consider it a resort town!? Either way, it didn't answer his question.

"I have to go. It's for a job. Now could you please tell me?" Again, he was ignored.

"No, you don't understand. You don't want to go. Just tell your boss that it was blocked off. You have to get out of here." Nathan narrowed his eyes, and took one step forward. Neither man backed down.

"I have to do it to help my daughter. Please. Just tell me where to go."  
There was a heavy silence for a minute, and the stranger in front of Nathan finally relented. The reluctance in his tone, however, was evident as he pointed to the left road.

"There. You can get to Silent Hill through that pathway. Don't take the main road, though. It's blocked."

"Thank you." The Repoman smiled, and began to walk away. A cry-out made him pause, and he turned back to glance at the other person in the graveyard. He seemed hesitant, but he finally said:

"Be careful."  
Nathan nodded once, and looked ahead as he began the walk to Silent Hill.

* * *

"_... News reports indicate that a helicopter was spotted over the town of Silent Hill. GeneCo has finally began spreading throughout the world, apparently, and ..."_

"Screw that GeneCo crap," the middle-aged woman muttered as she set her coffee on the desk. It was always about that company. Always about GeneCo. Personally, she didn't give a crap about surgery, organs, or anything like that. She didn't need any of it, anyway.  
She ran a hand through her short black hair (the dye had finally worn out), and let out a small sigh.

"_... Rotti Largo reports that he sent Nathan Wallace to look for a powerful medicine in the ancient town ..."_

Wait a minute. Something wasn't right. She narrowed her eyes, and looked over at the TV, listening in silently.  
... WAIT. Silent Hill! Were they insane!? Why were they going there? She never thought she'd have to take another visit, but if it meant getting that poor Repoman—whatever he was, it was some sort of job—out of there, then she had no choice. The black coffee was forgotten as she rose from her seat and dashed to her room to grab the keys.

This would not end well. Something was wrong; she could feel it in her gut.  
And even if she was a bit older, she wouldn't let that town get another innocent soul. As she strode out the door, she tucked her necklace in her pants pocket.

Cheryl Mason revved up the car.


	4. Hostile Inhabitants

AN: Sorry for being late, everyone. School ate me.  
Copyright can be found at the first chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Silently, Nathan wondered how this could have ever been a resort town.  
The bricks were crumbling. The paint was nearly gone. This entire town looked absolutely deserted.  
He had come from the graveyard, as the stranger had directed, and a chill was constantly pressing at him now. There was this sense of unease constantly plaguing him, but the Repoman ignored it. He had the visor; he could see clearly. The mist was no problem.  
With this comforting thought in mind, he pressed on through the mist, a grimace set firm on his face. The first place he had to find would be have to be the hospital, more than obviously, considering what he was searching for was a type of medicine. The locals probably had them...

But the more he walked through the streets, the more he realized how _empty_ they were. There wasn't a soul that he could see. That was to be expected, considering the town's condition, but--  
Blue eyes darted when his peripheral vision caught a young girl running down the alleyway to his left. A schoolgirl out at this hour? She seemed to be in a hurry ... fatherly instincts surged through him, and leather boots met the dirt as he gave chase after her. She shouldn't be out alone in a place like this—she could get hurt!  
Adrenaline raced through his veins, and his head pounded with worry and curiosity. One hand still gripped the scalpel tightly, but he had no intention to harm her—it was just a protective measure. He had to make sure that the girl was all right; hell would be raised if she was being chased.

Throughout the pursuit, he had to admit something; she was a fast runner. Hell, she was faster than some of his victims (though, said victims were normally high or wasted when he came upon them, so that was hardly a fair comparison)—and apparently--  
... And apparently, she was an expert at hiding.

Nathan's run quickly slowed to a walk, and he stopped in his tracks.  
He was met with a dead end, the wind howling quietly in the background. He blinked once, not believing what had happened, and then shook his head. Yes, a dream. It had to be a dream. The town's atmosphere was already getting to him, apparently. That was something he couldn't let happen while he was on the job.

A crash and a clatter behind him startled Nathan, and he spun around to see a figure lumbering in the distance. Was it the girl? No, no, it was far too tall for it to be that girl. A resident, maybe? The Repoman stepped forward, and was about to speak when he noticed something ... off.  
The way the person moved was erratic. Their arms were huddled, and the more Nathan looked, the more he noticed that they were trapped under what appeared like skin. There were no facial features that he could make out; this unnerved him slightly, but nevertheless, he drew closer.

An escaped inmate from the mental asylum? There were so many questions battering through his head right now, but he didn't know how to ask them. The strange person-like figure stepped forward, and before Nathan knew what was happening, his helmet was burning.  
Acid! The Repoman promptly took off his helmet and threw it to the ground. Before his eyes, his one mode of head protection burned away rapidly.

His fists clenched, and he promptly threw the scalpel. His precise aim allowed the weapon to lodge in the monster's throat. The attacker screamed and stumbled about, and with a sinking heart, Nathan realized that it wasn't going to die. Not from that. There were no other weapons on him, either.  
Running would be foolish. He needed to get his scalpel back! Would he have to tackle this thing with his bare hands?

Another shot of acid from the monster's chest and a narrow dodge told him that the bare hands idea was a stupid one. There had to be a way to fight this thing. A weapon—he needed a weapon, any weapon.  
He'd have to make do with something. Blue eyes darted about until the gaze rested upon a rusty metal pipe. It wasn't the best, but it'd help him for now. The Repoman warily picked it up, and faced the odd creature again with a new sense of determination. He charged, and the monster screamed.

Nathan halted promptly in his tracks. The monster before him was already yelping in pain before he even struck with the pipe. The scalpel obviously hadn't affected him that much, so it couldn't be that.  
He didn't have much time to ponder; the monster fell over dead, and the blond stranger holding a now-bloody plank of wood pressed his boot into the creature's back. A distinct snapping sound let Nathan know that his assailant was dead.

"I really hate killing them, you know ..." he muttered, stepping away as Nathan went to retrieve his scalpel.  
He boggled. How could he hate killing someone out to hurt others? Nathan looked up at the other man warily, and then yanked his metal weapon out from the neck.

"He really wants his back scratched, is all. I'm James."

"... I'm Nathan. Nathan Wallace." James Sunderland sighed and looked away, almost wistfully, at the open streets from the alleyway. Nathan followed suit for a moment, then he began to walk away again after a mumble of thanks.  
James promptly stopped him by gripping his shoulder and pulling him back. The Repoman reacted with a startled outcry, and he was about ready to use his scalpel again. Instead of being hit with the plank of wood, he was instead met with a worried glance.

"You're trapped here now, you know. The town has you, too."  
His tone made Nathan grow more and more uneasy. James almost sounded nonchalant about it, like it was an everyday thing, but at the same time, there was a sense of panic. It was difficult to describe, but the more Nathan tried in his head, the more he wished to drop the matter. Instead, he met the concerns with a half-hearted laugh as he pulled away.

"It doesn't have me. I'll be fine."

"No, you're seeing the monsters too."  
At least it wasn't his imagination. He didn't have time for this nonsense. He didn't want to hear about monsters, or anything supernatural. He had encountered a mental patient (somehow armed with acid), but that didn't mean that he was in any other danger.

"I'll be fine. Now can you tell me where the hospital is?"

"There's maps everywhere," James replied, shrugging and shaking his plank of wood to get some of the blood off. "You can find some near the bus stations ... I have to make sure that my wife is all right."  
And with that, James walked away from Nathan, while Nathan looked on in slight confusion and slight envy. He still had his wife ... but why would they live here, of all places?

He didn't take the time to ponder it. After taking one last glance back at his now-ruined helmet, Nathan began the search for a bus stop and a map.  
If there were any more attacks ...

* * *

"He has come, Priestess."

"As I had predicted and prayed for ..." Arabella looked back at Joseph with a gleam in her eye. A smile crossed her face.

"Send him help. Our brave savior will need it."


	5. Beloved Daughter

AN: I am SO SORRY. I know it's been a while, and I'll be honest; I just forgot to update this. It's been quite a stressful month. Copyright claims can be found in the first chapter; enjoy!!

Thanks to Reno for opening this for me. ^ ^ I was so stuck.

* * *

The feeling of the cold metal in his left hand comforted him more than it should. The pipe let him know that all was not lost if something happened to his scalpel. Considering the earlier events, he had a reason to think that way. Every noise made him jump. Each creak made him turn his head, awaiting another monster to leap from the shadows and attack him. If one could obliterate his helmet, what could two, three more do? He didn't even want to think about it.  
Where was everyone? That question still burned in his mind. More importantly, where was that girl? She'd be in trouble if she encountered one of the monsters. Maybe that's what happened to all the locals. His brain desperately tried to explain what had happened, but there were no diseases that he could think of that allowed a person to shoot acid directly from their person. Perhaps it was overexposure to radiation ... yes, that worked nicely. Perhaps this entire town had a nuclear accident, and that was one of the few survivors.

Maybe Rotti knew. He seemed to know quite a bit about Silent Hill, and after all, he did do research on it. Nathan pulled up his left arm, and pulled back the glove somewhat to call Rotti. He scrolled through the contact list (which, admittedly, was not too big), and finally selected his boss's number. He jerked somewhat as the hologram of Rotti's head flared up; but he soon settled down, and waited.  
Nathan was surprised when the head flickered, and then vanished completely. Only a slight static could be heard from his radio, and it dimmed quickly. Feeling a bit irritated, he tried again. The result repeated, but there was no static to be heard. The Repoman swore silently, and pulled his glove back down. What a perfect time for his phone to stop working.

Feeling a sense of nervousness rise within, Nathan started walking again. A bus station ... a bus stop. It couldn't be too far from here. This mist began to bother him. How could anyone see ten feet in front of them in this? He squinted his eyes as a shape vaguely formed in the distance; a – oh thank God. His pace quickened, and the map seemed to burst from the mist. The Repoman halted in front of it, and started to study it carefully. Another wave of relief crashed over Nathan as he looked; the hospital was not too far from here; just a few blocks and he would be able to find it. Perhaps a GENtern would be able to aid him.

There were footsteps behind him, but Nathan took no heed of it. He allowed himself to trace the map with one gloved finger, memorizing the trail to his destination with a determined mindset. He didn't like it here. He wanted to leave. After looking over the map one more time, he shifted to his left and began to walk down the crumbling street.  
Soon, he'd be home. Soon, he'd be with his beloved Shilo again. That thought kept him going.

* * *

It had only been a few hours, and she was already missing her dad. He was never gone too long, except when he was working. She was never told that he was going overseas, and she was really sad that she never got to say goodbye.  
Shilo shifted and pulled the covers over herself, whimpering slightly. This was her first night without Nathan home, and she didn't feel safe at all. What if she wasn't able to get to her medication? Still, she was safe. He locked the door. Her pills were very close to her. Maybe she'd be all right after all.

Now a bit more reassured, she pulled off the sheets and got out of bed, wandering idly around the room. There was really nothing to do at this hour; the screen outside normally only showed posters now instead of ads she could watch, and she had finished reading her book a while ago.  
She heard a door slam below her, and she beamed. Was her dad home? That had to be him! No one else could get in! She bounded towards her door, waiting patiently for Nathan to unlock the door and to give him a big, big hug. She missed him!  
Shilo got confused, though, when she heard footsteps—footsteps that weren't like her dad's. They seemed a bit heavier, and she grew nervous again. It was a woman's voice. It was humming. This wasn't her dad. She drew away from the door, ducking and hiding under her covers again in a heartbeat.

Even though there was a knock, she didn't move an inch.

"Shilo, honey? This is your room, right?"  
The voice sounded nice and soothing, but Shilo didn't move. Dad always told her to not talk to strangers, and she wasn't gonna break that rule now. She let out a small outcry when the stranger began unlocking the door, and the young girl dared to peek over the covers, shaking violently. A stranger had never been in her room before, and she was quite scared.  
The person was a woman, definitely—a slightly older looking one, at that. She had a nice, long black dress on, with orange hair—and—and it looked a lot like Mag's! Shilo beamed at the thought, but it quickly faded when the barefoot stranger began to approach her with a smile.

"I'm the person that was sent to take care of you. Your daddy's boss sent me." Shilo's nervousness only grew. Something was very, very off about this woman. She seemed nice, but she was still worried. It wasn't her dad. She couldn't trust this person at all. "My name is Deanna."  
Shilo didn't respond. Deanna sighed and brushed back a strand of hair, and pulled the plastic curtains aside. Shilo jumped out of bed and rushed towards the window, away from this strange person. Who went around barefoot, anyways?

"D—Dad told me not to talk to strangers."

"Your dad is a very smart man," the woman continued, calmly striding towards Shilo with a set look on her face. "But Daddy isn't here."  
Shilo was taken aback as the woman stormed towards her, roughly grabbing her arm and beginning to pull her towards the door. Shilo struggled to break free, doing anything she could; she was attempting to shift out of her nightgown to escape before the 'nanny' grabbed both of her arms.

"Daddy! Help!" Her cries were futile. The young girl was dragged out of her save haven, and down the stairs.


End file.
